Conventional video recording devices, such as video cassette recorders (VCRs), recordable DVD drives, and hard-disk based recorders, often contain a feature to detect commercial advertisements. A user often has the option to skip the detected commercials when playing back a recording.
Conventional approaches used to determine what is or is not a commercial look at characteristics of the video sequences to classify the material as being part of a main program or as being part of a commercial. Conventional methods include using average DC values or motion vectors to determine transitions between the program and the commercials.
While a viewer may wish to use a device that can allow him to watch a program without also viewing the commercial advertisements, a broadcaster has a vested interest in seeing that the commercial advertisements are viewed.
It would be desirable to implement a commercial detection suppressor that modifies an inactive portion of a video signal to deter commercial detection.